Wafer cleaning device for use in manufacturing a semiconductor device

Abstract

There is disclosed a cleaning device for cleaning a semiconductor wafer. According to the present invention, ech of the steps of the cleaning process used a separate carrier, so that none but the wafers need be washed, saving washing time. When drying, the surfaces of the wafers are kept from being contaminated by residual cleansers, thereby improving the yield rate.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A cleaning device for cleaning a semiconductor wafer, comprising: a series of cleaning baths arranged in a fixed interval with each other for cleaning a semiconductor wafer,   a wafer conveyor for conveying the wafer to the first one of said cleaning baths,   wafer drying means for drying the wafer received from the last one of said cleaning baths,   said wafer drying means having hoisting means for hoisting the dried wafer, and   a plurality of hoisting the rotating arms each having a separate corresponding one of a plurality of carrier means for carrying the wafer successively from said conveyor to said drying means through said series of cleaning baths, each of said hoisting the rotating arms being arranged between any two of said conveyor, cleaning baths and drying means with each of said arm holding its corresponding carrier while the wafer passes through said corresponding carrier means and into a successive one of said carrier means engaged by a successive one of said arms as the wafer is transferred between corresponding successive and said baths, whereby a separate carrier is used in each of said cleaning baths and said drying means.   
     
     
       2. The device of claim 1, further comprised of a plurality of said carriers having upper portions and lower portions permitting passage of the wafer through corresponding ones of said plurality of carriers, and means for retaining the wafer within said plurality of carriers. 
     
     
       3. The device of clain 2, wherein said retaining means is comprised of contractable cradles disposed adjacent to said lower portions of corresponding ones of said plurality of carriers. 
     
     
       4. The device of claim 1, further comprised of a plurality of each of said carriers having an upper portion for receiving a wafer, a lower portion for discharging the wafer, and a contractable cradle for retaining the wafer within said plurality of carriers. 
     
     
       5. A semiconductor wafer cleaning device, comprising: a series of cleaning baths arranged in a fixed interval with each other for cleaning a semiconductor wafer,   a wafer conveyor for conveying the semiconductor wafer to the first one of said cleaning baths, and   a plurality of hoisting arms each having a different and separate corresponding one of a plurality of carriers for engaging the semiconductor water, each of said hoisting arms holding a corresponding carrier as the wafer passes through its corresponding carrier and into a successive one of said carriers engaged by a successive one of said hoisting arms corresponding to said successive one of said carriers as the wafer is transferred sequentially through said series of cleaning baths, each of said hoisting arms being arranged between any two of said conveyor and said cleaning baths, whereby a separate carrier is used in each of said cleaning baths.   
     
     
       6. The device of claim 5, further comprised of each carrier of a plurality of said hoisting arms having upper portions and lower portions permitting passage of the wafer through said plurality of carriers, and means for retaining the wafer within said plurality of carriers. 
     
     
       7. The device of claim 6, wherein said retaining means is comprised of contractable cradles disposed adjacent to said lower portions of corresponding ones of said plurality of carriers. 
     
     
       8. The device of claim 5, further comprised of a plurality of each of said carriers having an upper portion for receiving a wafer, a lower portion for discharging the wafer, and a contractable cradle for retaining the wafer within said plurality of carriers. 
     
     
       9. A semiconductor wafer cleaning device, comprising: a series of cleaning baths arranged in a fixed interval with each other for cleaning a semiconductor wafer,   means for conveying the semiconductor wafer toward a first one of said cleaning baths, and   a plurality of discrete carriage means each having lower portions permitting passage of the semiconductor wafer through said carriage means, for transferring the wafer successively from said conveying means and sequentially through said series of cleaning baths, each of said carriage means being arranged between any two of said conveying means and said cleaning baths, whereby a different one of said carriage means is used in correspondence with each of said cleaning baths.   
     
     
       10. The device of claim 9, further comprised of a plurality of said carriage means having upper portions and said lower portions permitting passage of the wafer through said plurality of carriage means, and means for retaining the wafer within said plurality of carriage means. 
     
     
       11. The device of claim 10, wherein said retaining means is comprised of contractable cradles disposed adjacent to said lower portions of corresponding ones of said plurality of carriage means. 
     
     
       12. The device of claim 9, further comprised of a plurality of each of said carriage means having an upper portion for receiving a wafer, said lower portion for discharging the wafer, and moveable means for retaining the wafer between said upper and lower portions of corresponding ones of said plurality of carriage means. 
     
     
       13. A workpiece bath comprising: a series of cleaning baths arranged sequentially relative to each other for receiving workpieces,   means for conveying the workpieces toward a first one of said baths, and   a plurality of discrete carriage means each having upper portions and porous lower portions accommodating passage of the workpieces through said plurality of carriage means, and moveable means for retaining the workpieces within said plurality of carriage means between said upper and lower portions, said carriage means for transferring the workpieces successively from said conveying means and sequentially through said series of baths, with each of said carriage means being arranged between any two of said conveying means and said cleaning baths, whereby a different one of said carriage means is used in correspondence with each of said baths.   
     
     
       14. Apparatus for cleaning semiconductor wafers, comprising: a series of cleaning baths arranged in succession relative to each other for successively receiving semiconductor wafers,   means for conveying semiconductor wafers to the first one of said cleaning baths,   means for successively lifting each of the semiconductor wafers from corresponding ones of said baths in different corresponding porous carriages arranged betweeen each successive pair of said baths, positioning each of the semiconductor wafers above a successive one of said baths in said different corresponding carriages, and lowering each of the semiconductor wafers from a lower portion of said different ones of said corresponding carriages and through an upper portion of successive ones of said corresponding carriages for successive ones of said baths, and   means for removing the semiconductor wafers from the last one of said cleaning baths and drying the semiconductor wafers received from the last one of said cleaning baths, whereby a separate one of said carriages is used in each of said cleaning baths for said step of drying the semiconductor wafers.   
     
     
       15. the aparatus of claim 14, further comprised of said lifting means maintaining a substantially constant vertical relation between lower and upper portion of each of the semiconductor wafers while the semiconductor wafers are subjected to said lifting, positioning and lowering. 
     
     
       16. The apparatus of claim 14, further comprised of said lifting means maintaining a substantially constant vertical relation between lower and upper portions of each of the semiconductor wafers while the semiconductor wafers are subjected to said steps of lifting, positioning and lowering between a plurality of said baths.